Justice Asunder
by Justice Asunder
Summary: Valoran rests on the eve of war as Noxus builds a new army to march all across the continent to claim it all for her glory. Riven, refusing to align with homeland fends off an assassination attempt that sends her spiraling into a world of love, hate and violence, her morals will be tried and tested. Rated M for strong violence, language and adult content.
1. Chapter 1

Justice Asunder

By Joseph Milam

Chapter One

Alone in a Crowd

The night was young and the young city of Piltover was still bustling with the activities of commerce and engineering. Carts full of pipes, gears, general goods and people crowded the dusty streets. Hundreds of men, women and children, dressed in many more different colors and styles, walked pleasantly down the streets. An older man was holding his hand up high at a sidewalk food stand, he held a delicious fried eel on a stick and waved it like a sword. A firebreather was surrounded by a crowd of awed pedestrians as they watched him breath balls of fire into shapes of dragons and monsters. A young girl in particular watched the display with great relish. She was a tiny thing with blond hair and a huge beaming smile. She cheered as the firebreather depicted a scene of conflict between the great city-states of Noxus and Demacia.

A cloaked figure pushed its way through the crowd to get passed and almost tripped on a young mans foot before it managed to get free. It walked solemnly down the street and people made sure to part a path for it. A child leaped right in front of it and held up a toy but the child's mother grabbed her daughter and quickly shuffled away, chiding her for approaching such a person. The cloak hid a smile but it disappeared quickly when it heard "such a person" and it dropped back to a solid frown.

The streets became less crowded as it went on for the busiest area of the city had already been passed by the figure. It was around six feet tall and thin. The cloak was tattered and brown with no design on it at all except for a small white trimming around the hood. The sidewalk was no longer paved as the poorer part of the city had begun to surround the figure. No one caused any trouble though, not since Sheriff Caitlyn had took office. She was a beautiful young girl with long brown hair and spoke with a strange accent. She enjoyed cups of tea overlooking the city. She had an overall nice demeanor but when it came to policing she was brutal, and skilled. She was considered the most accurate person on Valoran with a gun.

A small tavern faintly gleamed in the night and the figure slowly made its way towards it. The sign outside of the tavern read: Hard Times Inn, and these were indeed hard times for it. Back in the olden days the Hard Times Inn was the bustling home of all the organized crime in the region. The figure pressed its way in unnoticed by all except the barman who raised and hand and greeted it.

"Howdy stranger! My name is John and I'll be your bartender tonight." He said with glee. The figure sat down on the firmest bar stool it could find and pulled back the hood of its cloak. It was a woman, not very young but still in her prime. She was extremely beautiful with her big red eyes and her small nose. Her smooth cheeks came down to a solid frowned mouth and a sharp chin. She had a white mark pained across her cheek under her left eye. "Oh dear," he said as he glimpsed upon her face, he did not expect such an attractive woman to come in the crummiest bar in the city. "Um, what will ya have?" he spoke with the stereotypical Piltover accent. The woman did not speak she just pointed to a barrel of ale and placed her arms on the counter, they landed with the clank of steel.

John poured the murky brown liquid into a fine glass pint and pushed it over towards the patron who caught it in her hand without glancing at it. He walked up to her. "A fine glass for a fine lady!" he exclaimed awkwardly, the woman who was about to take drink from the glass put it down and looked him straight in the eyes. He was not bad looking, he was an older man with graying hair but his well built face showed handsome features, he was probably quite the heartthrob in his youth. She scoffed at him lightly and rose the glass and drank like a man. John watched her drink wide eyed for she took down half of a pint in a single drink. "You don't talk much do ya?" he asked as he walked back to the ale and poured another pint and placed it next to his new patron who sat a few stools down. The woman took another chug and finished of the pint. She tapped the glass with her finger and smiled at the barman.

He refilled it and slid it back over. "It's on the house if you say thank you." he said and chuckled to himself, as he grabbed a small broom from under the counter and began sweeping the dust and dirt off of the old oaken counter top. The woman looked at the glass and drummed her fingers against it for a few moments.

"My name is Riven." she said flatly and took another huge drink. John smiled.

"So she speaks!" he cheered, "oh your voice is as beautiful as... you." he thought on the last word but came up with nothing. She raised her glass at his compliment and finished off the liquor. She stood and put her hand in her cloak pocket.

"How much for a room for the night?" she asked. John brooded at the request.

"If ya would have asked a bit sooner I'd be able to say that it is five copper pieces, but I just gave my last room to this man over here." he leaned his head to his left and the man simply rose his glass.

"How much for you to throw one of these drunks out in the stables for the night?" she asked and a small grin went across her face. John smiled too and leaned in close.

"These men are my friends, ya know?" he said. Riven dropped a half dozen coins on the table, they were made of silver. John smiled even wider and then slammed his hand against the table. "AYE! Morgan you are sleeping in the stables tonight!" he shouted. A man with a long haggard beard stood up.  
"Whatchu say...John?" he manged to say before he fell on the ground and passed out. Riven chuckled to herself at the drunken foolishness. John tossed her a beaten brass key.

"Number one, the luxury suite, or the luxury shit-hole, whatever floats ya boat." he said She took the key and began walking towards the stairs that led to the rooms. "The key sticks sometimes, you gotta jiggle it!" he called after her and she simply raised her arm vaguely at his words. John turned to his patron. "Some piece of work, eh?" he jested.

"Indeed." the man spoke. He was well built and muscular. His face clean shaven and his raven black hair oiled back. "I think I am going to retire now, may I have my room?" he watched as Riven struggled with the key and finally opened the door and disappeared inside. He felt the key against his hand and looked back at the barkeeper.

"Number two. Don't be causing no trouble ya hear?" he said.

"Of course, no trouble at all."

Riven was in the process of undressing when she heard a faint tapping at her door. She pulled her cotton shirt back down and straightened it out with her hands. She walked slowly to the door and opened it slightly to see the face of the other patron at the bar. "May I intrude?" he asked and Riven stepped back and opened the door. He came in and closed it behind him. He glanced down at a rough wooden chair. "May I?" Riven nodded and he sat, she herself sat on her bed facing him.

"What do you want, Darius?" she asked frankly and the man called Darius smiled.

"I heard you were in town, so was I. I just wanted to stop by, I know these ass-end bars remind you of home." he drummed his fingers against his leg.

"I come here to be alone, this is the least dangerous part of town these days," she began "you know very well that I like to be alone. Why are you really here?" Darius sighed lightly and cracked his knuckles.

"I've been tracking you."

"I know, you aren't the most discrete spy Noxus could have sent." she spat

"I am not a spy, I am a messenger."

"They send the right hand of Noxus to deliver a message?" she scoffed.

"No, no no. You are too vain my dear, I am not here just for you. There are other matters I have to attend to, world peace and all that good stuff." he said the last two words ironically "What I have to say to you is that Noxus could use you back in her arms. We have plans, and are counting our allies." Riven laughed aloud.

"Another war? Oh dear how the Noxian way has gone so far astray!" she said. "Darius, you know better than most that I will not join you." Darius smiled.

"I know my dear, but are you against us?" he narrowed his eyes.

"I am uncertain." when the words came out of her mouth Darius stood.

"Then so am I." he walked towards the door. "I must take my leave. Enjoy your exile." he closed the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Inciting the Past

A heavy mist shrouded the swampy Ionian countryside with mystery, for it was so thick that it was difficult to see the man in front of you. The army marched slowly but surely, wading its way through bogs and swamps. Their march was now leading up a rather steep hill and as they got higher the mist became more sparse until at the very top there was none. A single woman sat atop a might steed, she was young and gorgeous with long snow white hair bound in a ponytail. Her red eyes were watchful and observant like a hawk. She held up her hand and the army stopped in its tracks, although a few men in the further ranks bumped into each other for they were still in the fog.

"There was a battle down there," she shouted "we are going down to check for wounded." she looked down and saw a huge field littered with corpses, both Noxian and Ionian. The down hill march was much quicker than the uphill march and Riven was the first to reach the field, she dismounted her horse and her huge sword clanked against the back of her breastplate. She walked to the first couple Noxians and checked their pulses, but they were all dead. She looked down and saw a rather fresh looking Ionian. She knelt down and put her hand in his short brown hair. "So young." she said to herself. She stood up and surveyed the battlefield, she estimated about a thousand dead for both sides. None of the Noxian's were alive. She was about to signal the army to move on when she head a yell from her right.

A few soldiers had shouted that they saw a survivor and Riven glanced over to see a young Ionian girl coming out of the forest with a blood stained white dress. She was somewhat pretty and she knew the army would be desperate to get a hold of her. "Do not touch the girl!" She ordered but the furthest corner of the army could not hear their commanding officer. A few of them hungrily separated from their ranks and approached her. Riven saw them and spurred her horse to run forward. A few of the men saw her galloping towards her and went back to their ranks, but a single man remained. He reached out for her but she took a step back. He reached for her again but in a single quick motion she had drawn a strange blade from her dress and slashed both of his arms off.

"No!" Riven shouted and she was yanked down from her horse by a blood stained Ionian soldier. He leaped down on her but she reacted quickly and brought a dagger into his chest and tossed him to the side. She stood and looked around her as once dead Ionian's rose from the carnage of the battlefield and ambushed her unit from right under their noses. A group of Ionians looked at her and saw her officers badge on her brassard and attacked her. She ducked down to dodge a sword stroke and feigned to the right to dodge another. She swung her wickedly large blade and cut the closest man in half. A man with a spear stabbed down on her chest but her adamantine breastplate deflected the blow, she whipped around and brought her sword against his jaw and spun around again to cut down another at the knees. Two more men approached her one swung a wickedly spiked ball and chain flail and the other carried a huge ax in both hands. The man with the ax struck down but was impaled by a javelin from behind. He collapsed and Riven ducked down to avoid the wide strike from the flail. The momentum of the massive steel ball sent him reeling back and Riven brought her blade into his chest and kicked him to the ground.

She looked back towards where the girl in white had been and saw a group of heavily armed Ionians forming a vanguard around her, her white dress was torn and laying in the mud and now she wore mail of silver and red, her swords danced around the air about her and stuck viciously at her foes. Riven charged at the vanguard and rammed into it with her spiked pauldron, digging it into the chest of one of the guards. She pushed herself up and swung her sword high, slashing the belly and chest of a man in steel plate. Another man grabbed her but she rammed her head against his face and took his sword from its sheath and stabbed him with it. She yanked it free and turned the momentum of the pull into a swing, nearly decapitating another man behind her. Both of the men collapsed.

She turned quickly in time to be stuck by a glancing blow from a bow, the arrow head barely penetrating her well forged breastplate. She felt it cut against her breast. The archer loosed another arrow but Riven slashed it down mid flight and dropped the Ionian sword and quickly grabbed the dagger at her belt from its sheath and threw it, impaling the archer through the bridge of his nose. Two men charged her from behind and she grabbed the hilt of her sword with both hands and swung in a huge arch at blinding speeds bisecting both of the men. A huge man with a massive coat of plate-mail charged at her with two large broadswords, one in each hand. Riven parried a strike from one blade with her own and the other with her massive adamantine gauntlet.

"I will dance atop your bones once I kill you." he grunted as the two pushed forward with all their strength, trying to overcome each other. Riven's foot slipped in a pool of blood of one of the guards she had slain. The large man acted and brought his blades down with strong force but she rolled quickly to the side. Both of the blades dug themselves hilt deep in the earth. Riven stood up quickly and kicked him back away from his blades. He staggered back a few feet and growled, he grabbed a huge two-headed great-ax from his back and screamed as he charged at her. She flipped backwards to avoid a strike and rolled to the side to dodge another. He brought his blade high with both hands and brought it down it slammed hard into the earth between her legs. He tried to yank it free but Riven jumped upon the wide oaken shaft of the ax and leaped up into the air and brought her blade down into his skull.

She jerked it free and he fell lifelessly to the ground. Riven now faced the young girl who stood fearlessly in front of her a few yards back. Her blades danced a beautiful dance of razor-sharp steel around her effortlessly. Suddenly she brought her arms together in front of her, a red orb floated in front of her and the blades assembled around it forming an X shape. She dashed forward at Riven at blinding speed and spun her blade at her but she sidestepped in the nick of time, she raised her foot and kicked the girl in the chest and spun around and sent another kick to the side of her face. The young girl flew back and landed hard against the turf, her animated blades fell to the ground too. Riven approached her and pulled a small dagger from her boot and put it against her throat.

"Yield." she demanded. The girl simply looked blankly into her eyes and brought her hand up and placed it against Riven's cheek.

"I cannot, what kind of leader would I be if I surrendered in a battle that we had won? I would rather die a martyr than to live as a coward." she gestured to the left and Riven looked upon the fields of battle in awe. Her men had been completely overrun and only a few of the most skilled men in her unit were still standing, completely surrounded by the Ionian force at ten to one odds. Riven stood and dropped both the dagger and her giant sword. The young girl tried to stand but fell down on her knee.

"You will have to kill me." Riven said flatly. She turned back to the young girl who now stood erect, holding down on a sword to keep her standing. Riven knelt down, exposing the back of her neck to her foe. "A warrior's death." Riven felt a tear well up in her eye, she waited patiently for the honor of death but it never came, instead she felt a hand under her chin and it pulled her up to look at the young girl.

"Stand up, please." Riven obeyed, clanking as she rose. "You are not destined to die today, nor am I." She held her hand out to Riven and she looked cautiously at it.

"Who are you?" she asked, still staring at the outstretched hand.

"My name is Irelia Lito, and I am the Captain of the Guard of Ionia." she lightly smiled. "Who are you?"

"My name is Bianca Rive. I am a mere lieutenant in the army of Noxus." She reached for Irelia's hand but an explosion echoed out from the battlefield. They both looked towards the carnage and saw bodies flying high into the air and another rocket falling from the sky into the men below. Noxians and Ionians alike were slain by the barrage, as far away where the hextech cannons sat the orders were to kill everything in the valley. Riven stood and watched the destruction.

"This is not the Noxian way!" she protested aloud "Where is the honor in this?" A rocket landed between the two women and sent both of them flying in opposite directions. Irelia got to her feet first and glanced towards Riven and then the battlefield. She saw a foul green smog coming forth from where the rockets had landed. She ran towards her man flagging them down and sending them off into the forest to safety. Riven just lied on the ground and watched as all of her men died a slow, painful death. She saw the smog coming towards her and stood and walked away from it, tears running down her eyes. She unbuckled all her armor as she walked tossing it to the side carelessly. She started running then, not looking back again, into the forest and disappeared amongst the shadows.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The Appointment

Riven woke with a start and sat up quickly, sweat running down her beautiful face. She brought her arm to her forehead and wiped it slowly. She looked out the dirty glass of the window and saw the sun just beginning to rise over the horizon, revealing the city as it came to life. Men and women dressed in various types of clothes heading off to do their daily chores or to head to work. She stood up and slid her shirt down her chest and pulled her skirt back into place. Metal clinked as she grabbed her gauntlets from off of the bed side table and slid them over her small but strong hands. She walked towards the door and threw her cloak about her shoulders as she opened the door, walked out and shut it.

The tavern was a little busy, a few men and women were dispersed among an equal number of tables as they slowly ate their breakfasts. Riven caught a wiff of the pleasant smell of eggs and bacon being fried as she walked down the creaky old steps. John was standing at the bar, wiping down the leather arm rest along its length, when he saw her coming down.

"Riven! Good morning!" he exclaimed and tossed his rag to the side. He took a plate of eggs and bacon and put it on the table. "I made this just for you." he smiled and went back to cleaning. Riven smiled faintly and sat at the bar once again. She grabbed a piece of bacon and bit down on it. It was not half bad. She ate the piece quickly. She picked up another and turned to face the other patrons at the inn. Most of them were hairy old men who had just gotten off the night shift at the nearby mine, many of them still had their safety gear on and were too tired to take it off. A few were women who were just as tired as the men for they had also spent the night working. A single woman stood out though, she was wearing a brown jacket and trousers with a patchwork beret atop a head of beautiful red hair. She had a thin, long scar over her left eye. She was drinking ale from a small glass, her eyes shifted down when Riven looked at her. She turned back to her plate.

It took her a few minutes to finish, she tapped her thumb on the table and stood and walked out, John admired her as she went. "Is she a piece of work or not?" he said but he realized that there was no one at the bar and chuckled to himself as he washed her plate. Once his back was turned the mysterious red haired woman also walked out.

Riven pushed her way past the busy streets as she hurried into town. She was here for a reason. She reached downtown and saw looked upon the sheriff's office, a shiny and clean marble building. There was a quite ornate balcony and a woman could be seen drinking from a small, ornate ceramic cup. Riven pushed her way past more people as she made her way inside.

It was bright inside, lit by the mysterious power of electricity. The floors were made of rich tile and the walls were solid granite. She walked forward slowly as she admired the fine potted plants that adorned the hallway. She bumped her foot against a mahogany counter as her mind was adrift and grimaced in pain. A rather unremarkable woman stood at the counter, her name tag said "Helga". Riven shuttered for she had despised the name.

"I uh..." Riven stuttered. The woman was exceptionally unappealing to the eye. "I have an appointment?" The woman looked at her with a lazy eye then looked down at a list written on paper.

"Do ya have an appointment?" she spoke with a thick Piltover accent.

"Yes." she said and looked down.

"Name?" her voice was nasally and almost as ugly as her face which, accompanied with her lazy eye, was very poorly built, her bones stuck out at strange angles around her jaw line and her nose was crooked.

"Riven." Helga looked down at the list.

"No Riven here." she said. Riven swore under her breath.

"Try Bianca Rive." she mumbled. Helga looked into Riven's eyes and then back to the list.

"Room three hundred and seven. That's the third floor, stairs are that-a-way." she pointed to a spiral staircase in an alcove in the wall. Riven, relieved, made way for them. She was still a little simmered up that the appointment had been made in her Noxian name. She climbed up the stairs slowly, watching as the building turned from a luxury hall to a business as she climbed up floors. The third floor was rather empty, only a chair in front of an unoccupied desk in the corner lied in here. Riven looked around cautiously and heard two sets of foot steps coming from a door to her right.

She glanced and saw two women, one small and thin and the other tall and strong, much like Riven herself. Both were heart-stoppingly attractive. The first one, was petite but perfectly proportioned, her curves fitting nicely to her size. She had long brown hair that curled towards the bottom, she wore a dress with a purple bodice and skirt that ended halfway to her knees. Her legs were long, tanned and drew the eyes of men to them like insects to a light. She had small brown eyes, a small nose and a tiny mouth. The other, stood a foot higher than the smaller one, her hair was short and pink, with a few strands that hung stylishly long from the back, the front left side of her hair was dyed white and cropped short. She wore a simple sleeveless white shirt and tight pants made of denim, showing her wide hips and large rear quite easily. She had a tattoo under her left eye that said "Vi". Her eyes were violet. The smaller one had a more elegant type of beauty while the other had a very lustful beauty.

Riven stood and bowed as they approached. "Sheriff Caitlyn, I have come because I received your summons." The smaller one, Caitlyn, smiled.

"Hiya deary," she said "Sit down please! Vi, honey, care to pull up a chair?" She spoke with a strange accent but she radiated happiness. Vi walked back into the room the two had come from a momentarily came back with a small stool. Riven watched as she walked. She heard Caitlyn snap her fingers and she turned back to her, she was grinning.

"That's Vi, isn't she quite a looker?" she said as she herself turned her eyes to watch her walk. Vi simply scoffed and threw down the stool next to Caitlyn and sat.

"Why am I here, Caitlyn?" Riven asked, not impatiently but curiously. Caitlyn leaned back in her reclining chair.

"Ah yes, Bianca I-"

"Riven." she interjected.

"Dear, until you prove otherwise, how do I not know you are still bound to Noxus?" Riven shifted uneasily in her seat.

"I may have a bit of information, but it is only speculation." Riven whispered. Caitlyn leaned in close.

"I love speculation." her voice was suddenly grim.

"I was approached by Darius of Noxus last night, he... he hinted that there may be another war coming soon." Caitlyn began to nervously drummed her fingers against her desk. Suddenly she turned quickly to her left as a blur of red passed by the window.

"Bullocks!" she shouted and ran to the window, she opened it and peered outside but she saw nothing but people going about their business. She closed it.

"It looks like you were tailed, cupcake." Vi said to Riven as she lustily watched Caitlyn at the window. Riven smiled.

"That is a good sign for us." she said. And Vi smiled. Caitlyn was still looking out the window. She stood on her toes causing her skirt to rise a couple of inches and Vi sucked her teeth. Caitlyn giggled.

"You are too easy deary." she said as she came back to her desk. She looked back to Riven and put her long legs on her desk, her heels pointing up in the air. "I sent you here for two reasons, Bia- Riven." she paused a moment and looked at Vi who had put her hand on her thigh, Vi pouted and put her hand back down. "One. Just as you have told me I had a hunch that something was amiss. I was hoping that you'd flush out something, and you did... but it is a little larger than I anticipated..." she trailed off and began drumming her fingers on the desk, Vi looked at her and placed her hand reassuringly on her shoulder.

"It's okay cupcake, we all knew it would happen again sooner or later." Vi whispered as a tear ran down her companions face.

"I-I just want the killing to stop." she whimpered a little, Riven leaned forward.

"So do I. I need you to be strong, right now we are the only three who know of this plot outside of Noxus." She looked towards the window, but it was empty. "Now, please go on." she patted her hand down on Caitlyn's leg softly.

"I also had something to ask you." Caitlyn resumed, "you have indeed broken your connections with Noxus, correct?" Riven nodded "Good, I wanted you to... I would like it if you stayed in Piltover." she looked straight into Riven's shining red eyes.

"Where do I stay?" Riven said and Caitlyn beamed.

"Oh you'll be staying in my home of course! With me and..." she paused and blushed for a moment, Vi too blushed slightly but she cleared her throat and quickly the redness in her face faded away. "Vi and I are lovers. I just want you to know that ahead of time." she whispered. Riven smiled faintly.

"You are not very good at hiding it." she said. Caitlyn scoffed and Vi smiled.

"I am plenty good at it," Caitlyn boasted, "it's just this one who has trouble hiding it." she rammed her elbow softly into Vi's thick thighs. She shrugged.

"I don't see why I've gotta hide it, cupcake." She smiled and lowered her and a little further down from her shoulder. Caitlyn gasped and smacked her hand and Vi laughed.

"If anyone finds out they could use it against me, I could not stand if someone tried to take you from me." She kissed Vi on the cheek softly.

"No one is gonna take me." she cracked her knuckles. Riven stood up and Caitlyn and Vi looked towards her.

"Ah yes, one more thing." Caitlyn pulled a slip of paper from her desk. "this is a voucher to stay at that Tavern for free, Vi and I need to find a place for you to sleep." She smiled. Riven denied the voucher.

"I would not cheat a man of his money, but thank you for the offer. I have some belongings to pack up anyways and I would like to get a drink." she stood and walked back.

"Cheerio!" Caitlyn called out and Vi scoffed.

"You sound so stupid when you say things like that." she jested. Caitlyn shot a quick glare at her and then looked back at Riven who had simply raised her hand in response. She stepped down the stairs and was about halfway down to the second floor when she heard a loud thud. She crept back up the stairs and almost gasped when she saw that Caitlyn was lying flat on her desk and Vi was on top of her, sharing a long hard kiss that seemed to glow with passion. Vi started to slid her hand up Caitlyn's skirt and Riven quickly went back down the stairs.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The Sinister Blade

Riven had spent the rest of the day walking around the city and getting a feel for her new home. She walked around downtown a few times, always seeing something new. She never saw the same face either, except for one. A red haired woman with a scar on her left eye. She knew she was being followed and she was certain that the woman knew that she was aware of her presence. Riven intentionally walked around for longer than she needed, ducking underneath hanging clothes and passing into alleyways suddenly, not to lose her follow but to tire her out.

When night fell she made her way back to the Tavern, only moving by joining up with crowds of people. Finally she made it and entered, she looked around and saw that the woman was already here, sitting at the bar. Many patrons sat amongst the tables chatting and laughing. Riven nodded at John and sat directly to the left of the red haired woman. They both smiled faintly. "Oh my, two exceptional beauties? Y'all are going to give me a heart attack." he laughed and the red haired woman chuckled softly.

"Let us hope not, old man. Get me and my friend here a pint of your finest!" She threw down a few copper coins on the table and put her hand on Riven's thigh. Riven's face twitched in anger but the woman leaned in close. "Just go with it, or I'll slit his throat." she whispered and licked her earlobe. Riven shuttered at her touch but did not react, she did not want anyone innocent to die. The woman fondled her thigh while they sat and waited for John to bring the ale and when he did she rose her hand and Riven exhaled loudly.

"You alright Riven?" he said as he placed the two glasses in front of the girls.

"Yeah, just a little-" she took a long drink from the pint. "stressed." The woman next to her just took a small sip from her drink and licked her lips afterward.

"Fine brew, John." She held the glass up and took a longer drink from it. Riven finished her ale on the second drink and stood up but felt the woman's hand against her rear and sat back down. Riven looked at her in anger but she just smiled and tapped on her glass. It took her a few minutes for her to finish, they were the longest minutes of Riven's life. Finally she stood up and Riven stood too, Riven tossed some coins onto the table and walked behind the woman as they walked up the stairs. Her red hair swayed as she shook her firm rear intentionally trying to taunt Riven. It worked. Riven jammed the key into her lock and growled as it stuck, she yanked hard on it and the door flew open. She stormed in and slammed the door.

She sat on her bed a few moments. She heard footsteps in front of her door and slowly walked over to a bundle wrapped in sackcloth. She unwrapped it and revealed a broken sword, the hilt and first two feet of the blade. It was very thick and wide and the jaggedness of the rend was sharper than any razor. It was made of adamantine and was enchanted with a strong magical spell until she had sundered the blade. The runic inscription on its side was faded but still visible. She heard a knock and slowly went up to the door and answered it.

There was no one there a Riven was a little puzzled, she looked right and left and saw no one nearby. She closed it and saw the red haired woman leaning against the wall that was hidden behind her opened door.

"Oh Bianca, you always brought out my..." she removed her jacket and revealed a tight black leather corset that covered only her breasts, barely. "darker side." Riven scoffed.

"Katarina, what would I have that a Du Couteau did not?" She glared angrily at her. Katarina Du Couteau smiled.

"Everyone used to say you were so much prettier than me." she mocked.

"Please." Riven spat and drew a dagger from the table nearby. "What are you doing, following me around?"

"You are prettier than I remembered." she teased and Riven threw the dagger barely missing her. Katarina did not flinch. "Oh simmer down, you wouldn't hurt a poor messenger would you?" she said with guile. Riven turned to walk towards her bed to sit down.

"Messenger? Darius said he was a messenger, what is your message?" Riven feigned ignorance.

"It isn't important just-" she grunted aloud and Riven dropped to the ground barely dodging a trio of daggers that slammed home into the wall in front of her. She leaped back up and saw Katarina jumping at her with two long-bladed knives. She kicked her in the stomach and sent her flying back. Katarina hit the wall with a grunt. She growled and dashed forward, Riven side stepped her and grabbed her blade from the bed side table. Katarina moved forward and suddenly appeared behind Riven and almost back stabbed her but she turned to the side quickly. She tried to punch her but Katarina nimbly dodged and slid back to the other side of the room. She reached into a pocket in her pants and threw another volley of small daggers, one of them digging itself a few inches into Riven's shoulder.

She grunted as she ripped it free and took the offensive, slashing down on air and again slashing air as Katarina quickly avoided the swings. "You've got to try harder than that my love." she taunted and Riven roared and feigned a swing and bashed her head against Katarina's skull instead, sending them both recoiling back. Katarina put a finger to her lip and felt a trickle of blood. She again appeared behind Riven and got a good grip on her and brought a blade to her neck. Riven held it off with one hand while Katarina pressed down with two, for one of her legs had wrapped around her other hand. The blade edged closer and Riven felt cold steel touch her neck. Suddenly she screamed and Katarina was knocked back against the wall, she looked up and saw a green aura around her foe and saw her blade grow into its full size. Riven swung her reforged sword and cut both of Katarina's knives in half. Brought the blade against Katarina's throat.

Katarina submitted with a pout and Riven tied her up with some rope from one of her robe pockets. She tied her around the ankles and the wrists, placing them behind her back. Katarina sighed. "Looks like you bested me yet again... are you going to kill me?" Riven looked into her eyes and saw something that she had never seen before in her eyes, a look that she had seen in the eyes of many foes she had beaten on the battlefield. It was despair.

"No, I am going to turn you in and extract information from you." The look in her eyes faded and Katarina smiled wickedly.

"Extraction? That sounds fun." she taunted and Riven turned to her.

"It gets as fun as you let it," Riven placed her hand on the side of her once again sundered sword. "it starts with questions and if you do not cooperate we'll bring in Vi, she has a way of beating information out of criminals." Riven did not smile or mock, she just spoke emotionlessly.

"But I am no criminal. You are the criminal, you traitor!" she spat "The consequence of treason is death." Riven grabbed a torn piece of cloth from the curtains of the windows. Riven got on her knees next to her and held out the cloth.

"Any last words before I bind your mouth?" Riven asked out of courtesy. Katarina looked up to her.

"Yeah I've got a few."she hopped to turn herself to have her body facing Riven's. Riven looked at her quizzically as Katarina just sat there looking at her but suddenly Katarina sprang forward and brought her lips against Riven's. Riven was caught completely off guard and was too shocked to react as she felt Katarina move her tongue into her mouth. Something triggered then, something strange. She felt Katarina, not physically but mentally. It was a feeling of disorder, loneliness and chaos. Riven tried to think harder but the feeling slowly faded away.

She felt her hands wrap around her and suddenly the rope she had used to tie up Katarina's hands was being used to tie up her own. Katarina slowly withdrew her tongue and pulled herself off of Riven who gasped aloud when her mouth was free. The two just looked into each others eyes for a moment without speaking. Katarina started to come in again, the anger gone in both of their eyes. Riven's heart stopped as she got close enough to feel the heat of her breath. Katarina closed her eyes.

"Katarina..." Riven whispered and she opened her eyes. Again they looked into each others eyes wordlessly and she slowly backed off. Riven saw something strange in her eyes again, that same despair.

"My mistake." Katarina said as she pulled a small blade from her pocket, she held it against her throat. Riven felt the blade shaking and Katarina threw it down. "Damn it." she swore and stood up, she had freed herself of her leg binds as well. She walked quickly to the window and pushed it open. She looked back at her.

"Wait, please." Riven said softly and Katarina listened. She closed the window and sat on the bed above Riven. She looked up and saw a tear running down her eye. "Katarina, I..." Riven did not know how to speak to her, she was an enemy but she felt a strong pang of sorrow for her.

"I see now why you have left Noxus," she said, sniveling "my father... he... he was taken. You know that. You and I were still young back then." Riven nodded. "I found out who took him while I was off on this task, to kill you." she paused and looked down at Riven, who made no gesture or grimace at all at the mentioning of the task. "But I found that Darius had been in the room just next door. I came in through the window and found some papers. Letters to Jericho Swain about '…..Marcus Du Couteau has been progressing well, the experiment has gone well so far...' I could not believe that he had been betrayed by the very man he fought for. I did not know whether I should feign ignorance or if I should confront him. But which ever path a chose you were an obstacle." she swore. "Traitors to their own people. How dare they!" she cried aloud and Riven just looked up at her.

"The day the Ionian assault had crumbled was the day the Noxian way was forever destroyed. Noxus had all of its plans for when it conquered the continent but it failed and had nothing to fall back on. The high command blamed the Darkwill's and Swain took advantage of it." Riven said. Katarina looked back down to her again.

"I will come back soon if you would help me, I know you'll be staying with Caitlyn so I will try to be discrete about it, just leave your window open at night if you want to help." Katarina said.

"Is Noxus planning another war?" Riven asked. Katarina shifted uneasily on the bed.

"It is in discussion. I will not fight for them henceforth, so it does not matter to me."

"It matters to me." Riven stated "And I will help you if you help me, for our goals may go hand in hand. I wish to bring back old glory to Noxus, but it requires a complete purge. If we purge the high command I am sure we can free your father." Katarina stood up and went back to the window.

"I'll think about it, in the meantime remember to leave your window open." She opened the window again.

"Wait," Riven pleaded "you forgot to untie me." Katarina smiled and walked over to her, she knelt down. "You forget I am not as dexterous as you." She leaned forward to untie her but suddenly Riven brought her arms from behind her back and wrapped them around Katarina and pulled her in and brought their lips together. Katarina reacted quickly and brought her arms down on Riven's waist and rubbed gently as she let Riven push her gently to the ground and climb atop her. Riven moved her hands to Katarina's face as she lowered her own hands down onto Riven's rear and groaned softly as Riven touched her tongue with her own.

Riven felt Katarina's hands go under her skirt to touch her upper thigh and moaned softly but pulled herself free, Katarina bit softly onto Riven's lip as she pulled away. "Oh god what is wrong with me?" Riven thought aloud. Katarina laughed.

"I wouldn't know." she said and beckoned her back down but Riven resisted.

"I can't." Riven whispered.

"Bianca..." Katarina reached her hand up to Riven's face. "What is wrong? You seemed so happy just now."

"I was... but it does not feel right. Why am I turning so quickly on you? I have hated you all my life until now."

"Hate is such a strong word," Katarina teased "maybe you realized that there are people in the world that you think are so different from you but are actually just the same." she brought her hand down. "maybe not exactly the same, but we both share a deep similarity, that Noxus has gone too far and needs to be changed." Riven brought her self back down but did not kiss her, instead she laid next to her and put her left hand on Katarina's cheek and just stared into her eyes.

"You really are beautiful Bianca." Katarina whispered. Riven blushed a little bit.

"I was never jealous of you, or any woman for that matter about such things, but I always knew you were the most beautiful woman in Noxus, it runs in your blood." Katarina brooded.

"I am talking about interior and exterior beauty."

"So am I." she brought herself in close again and Katarina's lips took her away to another world for the third time that night.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The Hand of Noxus

Bookshelves crammed full of books lined all of the walls of the fairly well lit room. A lamp rested upon a desktop that was messy and unorganized with scrolls, books, scraps of parchment and pens scattered across its surface. An elbow was pressed firmly into the edge of it, an elbow that connected to the arm of a strong and muscular man who had the build of a warrior. His hand placed thoughtfully underneath his clean shaven chin. His dark brown eyes gleamed with cunning. Outside the window to his left a city shrouded in darkness and smog, the streets below could not be seen through the darkness and shroud of the fog.

Suddenly the man slammed his hand down on the desktop and crumbled up a piece of parchment. He had rings on all of his fingers, gold and silver adorned with gems. He shuffled around the desk for a while until he found a blank piece of parchment and brought his pen down on it.

'Grand General, I have planted the seeds but I have yet to see if they have grown into what you have said they would. Also, just like you predicted, our little red haired assassin-' he stopped writing as he heard a commotion at his door. A small framed but fit man with scars all across his arms and face with a long black mustache with slicked back raven hair kicked the door wide open, disturbing the bookshelves.

"Darius my brother!" he waved his hands high into the air, one of them held a large jug of ale. Two rather remarkable girls, dressed fashionably, stood behind him. The scarred man was dressed quite fashionably as well, he wore a brown leather coat with an aquamarine colored collar, that was lined with the fine fur of a minotaur's mane. His pants were similarly designed. The man at the desk sighed out of frustration.

"Draven how many times must I tell you?" he said as he turned to face him. "Do not interrupt me when I am at work." Draven smiled widely and took a drink from his jug.

"Oh big brother, writing to Swain again? I think you two make a perfect couple." he teased. Darius stood up and walked towards his brother with his hands in his pockets. Draven took another drink.

"I think you are envious that I have been chosen as his successor." he said softly. Draven spewed the liquor from his mouth all over the fine tiger carpet.

"Me? A politician?" he laughed and rudely scratched at his crotch. "I enjoy the finer things in life: booze, fine women and a good reputation." He fondled one of the women who, in return, giggled.

"A good reputation indeed," Darius began sarcastically "as a matter of fact I should be jealous of you." Draven took a step back and brought an arm over the shoulders of both of the women, resting his hands against their breasts.

"Oh brother don't be so spiteful!" He smiled and turned himself and the women around and began walking down the hallway. "I am going to make love to these women now while you sit and write letters to your husband. Come and join me if you want, I'm sure one of them would be happy to be with you." he shouted and Darius heard a distant door slam shut.

"Such an idiot." He groaned and looked into the mirror. He noticed that his belly had grown slightly in an unsatisfactory manner. "But he's a correct idiot. I have not enjoyed the finer things in life for a long time." he looked down at his unfinished letter. "Jericho can wait." Darius snatched up his cloak and walked to his door and left. A few moments later Draven came stumbling out of his room and ran into Darius's, he was fully nude and held large plush bear over himself.

"Darius did I leave my..." he trailed off as he saw Darius was gone. He glanced towards the cloak rack and smiled. "Ah!" he looked down at the table and saw his jug of ale. He picked it up and ran back to his room.

Darius had walked to the stable and picked his finest stallion, a fine horse with a brilliant chestnut coat and black mane. He threw his saddle atop it and mounted him. The horse felt the tightening of the reins and began to slowly trot out of the stabled and down the street. The down hill road led quickly to the most poverty stricken part of the city, houses marked with the white skull of plague upon their doors were scattered across the shantytown. The houses were built of whatever the occupants could get a hold of at the time, wagon wheels, bed frames, doors, blankets and anything else that was firm or wide. A sickly old man with a ghastly green mask over his face reached towards Darius begging for alms. He ignored him, instead making way for the nearest way out of the shantytown.

He made his way through the iron gate that separated the slum from the rest of the city and it quickly closed behind him. The two guards who stood in front of the gate nodded their helmeted heads at Darius, who simply saluted back to them. The rest of the city was quite bland, most of the buildings made of rather foul colored granite, green with algae caused by the perpetual mist that coated the city. The roofs were coated in slate colored like mail. Street signs, doors and windowsills were unpainted and rotting. The beautiful chestnut horse paced uneasily as two men in green masks carried a corpse wrapped in linen across the street. The bandages in front of the mouth of the body were damp and black. Darius averted his gaze.

A strange man passed through the town a few years ago, he was a hulking presence in a giant suit of plate-mail that was sharp at all edges and corners like a razor blade. It was wickedly spiked and he carried a massive morning star that was equally as wicked. He never took off the armor and seemed to have brought the pestilence along with him. He was seemingly attracted to the slums, almost as if drawn to it by some force other than his own. After he left the plague almost threatened to empty out the city until a cure was developed by the great scientist Singed Wagner. Singed never released his cure out to the public, reserving it for those who could afford it, thus resulting in the creation of the slum for the sick. Darius had not caught the plague, but his brother Draven had. Draven had caught it when he worked in the Prison of Noxus when he was younger, he was cured quickly but the plague left scars all across his body from wicked black growths and boils that sprouted from infected blood.

Once the body had been walked across Darius continued. He pressed on until he reached a massive steel gate. Three guards standing atop it were heavily armored, wielding massive crossbows and vicious halberds. Darius rose his hand and snapped his fingers and one of the guards ran into the adjacent gatehouse and the gate slowly began to open. The parting gate revealed a forest of dead and dieing trees, blackened by the smog of industry. All of them were completely absent of foliage even though it was the beginning of spring. Darius and his horse sped up to a gallop once they were clear of the city. He savored the touch of fresh night air against his tired and dry skin.

He rode for what felt like an hour before he suddenly realized he had ridden far enough from Noxus to see that the trees now bore massive coats of green upon their branches. He patted his steed on the neck softly and it slowed to a trot, hooves making a satisfying click against the road as it stepped. The road had faded from a finely paved street to merely a stone path which as he trotted on became more and more dirt until finally the road had completely disappeared, leaving only a few dirt trails going off in multiple directions. Darius directed his horse to the most remote looking of the trails and continued on for a few more minutes until something caught his eye.

A figure sat with its back against a tree, it was cloaked in a tattered brown coat with the hood drawn high over the head. Its hand was pressed against the hilt of a strange sword that was brought down tip first into the ground, it had a glowing runic inscription upon its side. Darius dismounted his horse and let it graze in the fresh forest grass, he approached the figure carefully.

"These forests are not safe at night, traveler. You should be more careful where you rest." he said, looking around to check his flanks. He was not a paranoid man but he knew all to well the danger these parts of the forests could hide and was on his guard.

"We have nothing to fear here, Darius." the voice was that of a woman and was very familiar to Darius. He stood and gazed at the figure for a moment.

"Riven, is that-" he began

"Bianca, please." she said as she took down the hood from her head, revealing her strong and beautiful face. Darius walked to her and sat down.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. Riven looked into his eyes.

"I am here for you," she said as she took her hand off the hilt of her sword and placed it upon his cheek, "for you and for Noxus." Darius placed his hand over hers.

"Why?" he asked simply. Riven sighed softly.

"Because if I want Noxus to return to its former glory it must win this war, there must be a Noxus left to be able to reform it." she smiled at him. "How it must please you to here such things, I have always known how you have felt towards me, ever since we first laid eyes on each other in the army." she pressed her hand against his heart. Darius shuffled uneasily.

Suddenly he seized her by the throat and slammed her hard against the tree she was leaning on. Riven did not wince, she simply kept smiling. "Who are you?" Darius shouted. Riven laughed aloud. She pushed Darius away from her and stood up. Her face began to fade, her tanned skin turned porcelain, her snow white hair turned into a deep royal blue, her cloak shifted and swung around to turn into a gold and black cape, her clothes turned into mere straps holding the cape into place while covering her most private areas. The sword that was placed into the ground stretched and thinned itself until it had changed to a simple wooden staff with a strange geometric pattern floating atop it. The new woman was quite beautiful and bore a face full of cunning and wit. Darius got to his feet.

"Evaine Le Blanc, what a pleasant surprise." he mumbled. Evaine smiled widely.

"I come with a gift!" she exclaimed and snapped her fingers. I huge rectangular box wrapped in white paper appeared out of a puff of smoke. Darius eyed it with curiosity. "Go on! Open it!" she smiled and clasped her hands together. Darius sighed and tore off the paper and opened the top of the box, he peered in and sighed again.

"This is no gift. This is my ax." he pointed out. Evaine laughed.

"Oh I know, I thought it would be nice if you cut me some firewood and start a fire, the forest is a cold place during the night." she smiled brightly. Darius scoffed.

"Could you not have done that with your magic?" he spoke with a hint of spite.

"Where is the fun in that?" Darius scoffed again.

"You remind me of my brother." he grumbled. Evaine laughed again. Darius grabbed his ax and disdainfully used it to cut down some large limbs from a nearby tree, he piled them together once he gathered a decent amount. He walked to his horse and took a flint and steel from his saddlebag and put it against the firewood. With a few flicks of his wrist the sparks ignited the drier parts of the wood and after a few seconds a hearty flame danced forth from the wood. Darius looked to Evaine who had conjured a large wooden log and sat on it, she beckoned him to sit next to her.

"Come my dear, let us enjoy the fire together." she said as Darius sat. She placed her arms around him and snatched the cloak off of his shoulders and tossed it next to the fire.

"Evaine, why are you here?" he asked. She turned to him and smiled.

"I am simply enjoying the more appealing part of our lovely city-state." she turned back to the fire. "And Jericho assigned me to keep track of you." Darius narrowed his eyes at her.

"He thinks I am going to run off on him?"

"No, he thinks someone may try to kill you." She prodded the fire with a twig. Darius balled his hands up.

"Who?" he scanned his flanks again. Evaine caught it out of the corner of her eye and laughed.

"You are not in danger now, Jericho is just concerned that our rouge assassin will come to you in search of her father." She frowned.

"So he already knew then?" Darius was a little overwhelmed "I was in the process of writing a letter to address such to him before I left for a ride."

"Of course he knew, he is just unsure how she will react. He has said that she has been seen in the shadows of the High Command building."

"She would not try anything without knowing where Marcus is." Darius affirmed and Evaine nodded.

"How is he doing?" She asked after a few moments of silence.

"The experiment is going much better than expected. He grows stronger everyday. Marvin Mundo is quite the genius despite his... problems." Evaine chuckled quietly at the last remark.

"Indeed, the Doctor has quite the brain." There was another silence.

"How are you doing, Evaine?" Darius broke in. Evaine did not reply for a few seconds. She slid her hand over onto Darius's and smiled.

"I am fine. It has been a while since we last met." She did not look at him when she spoke but Darius felt something in her voice.

"Indeed, it has been years." he spoke softly and turned his head towards her to see her blushing slightly.

"I-" she started "I got you a gift, a real one." she reached into her cape and grabbed a small box. It was unadorned and had a simple strand of yarn holding it shut. Darius reached out she dropped it into his hands. He pulled the string and opened it.

"It's empty." he said flatly but when he looked up Evaine had brought her face against his and kissed him. She quickly wrapped her thin arms around his muscular neck and pulled tightly to his chest. Darius in return brought his hands down to her lower back and leaned back until she was laying on top of him. He slid his hands down to her rear and she groaned. Darius began to pull down the straps of her clothes as the moon began to rise from the trees, being obscured for just a moment by a flash of red.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

A Drink With Piltover

Caitlyn's mansion was a large, white, two story Elizabethan home with a large rectangular porch and finely carved supporting beams lining the ornate over hanging jettying. The windows were large and covered from the insides with fine purple curtains. Atop the entrance to the porch was a crest, a gear in the shape of a crescent. The lawn was green and lined with potted plants and finely cut bushes. Riven felt the straps of her bag dig into the skin of her shoulder as she walked up the white oak steps onto the porch. A young woman with long, damp, brown hair sat in a rocking chair next to the fine double doors that led into the manor. She stood up as Riven approached.

"Riven! How pleasant it is to see you again!" She embraced her and kissed her on the cheek and Riven groaned as she felt the additional weight.

"Caitlyn..." she panted "Let me set my bag down, please." Caitlyn pushed off of her and smiled brightly.

"Of course! Let me show you to your room." She spun around gracefully and brought open both of the doors that led inside. Riven felt a blast of cool air burst forth from the cavernous hall, the entrance was high and drafty. The hall was decorated with brilliant shades of purples and yellow, purple cushions on yellow framed furniture and gold trimmings on purple tapestries. A massive staircase stood in front of the doors that led up to the second floor. Caitlyn walked forward, hips swaying elegantly, towards the staircase. She placed her hand on the end of the banister as she stepped to it and turned slowly to Riven.

"Up there," she raised her hand to the second story and to the left "you will find your room, the door is open, last room on the right of the hallway." She stepped down off the staircase and stood next to Riven who sighed in relief. "Come meet me here when you get settled." she squeezed her shoulder softly and walked into a door to the right of the staircase. Riven watched her until she disappeared and slowly made her way up the stairs. She looked down to the left and saw an open door on the right side of the hallway and slowly made her way to it.

She made no sound as she approached and peeked inside to see that a tall woman with short pink hair was standing at the window and looking out of it. Her back was bare except for a few straps that held the cloth over her breasts in place. Riven saw scars running down her muscular back that resembled wicked whip lashes. Riven stepped back in the hallway and knocked on the wood of the door.

"Come in." Vi said after the knocking ceased. Riven came in and saw that she was still gazing out the window. Riven set her bag down gently on the floor and shyly walked to Vi's side. Vi stirred for a moment and breathed a large breath, heaving her ample breasts forward and back.

"Are you alright?" Riven asked as she too gazed out the window looking for something out of the ordinary. There was not.

"I'm fine." she cleared her throat, "but I don't think having you here is such a good idea." She rubbed her knuckles on the windowsill. Riven placed her hand softly atop hers and felt the muscles tighten in Vi's hand.

"Vi, I do not want to infringe upon your privacy. I will leave if you wish." Vi turned away.

"It's not that." Vi stirred uneasily again, "I worry for Caitlyn. She is very naïve about such dangers that you bring into this home." Riven sensed hostility.

"I would die before anything happened to her while I am in this house." Riven declared. Vi turned swiftly on her and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. She pressed her hard against the wall.

"You are right. You better die before anything happens to her on your behalf, other wise I will make you regret that you didn't."She let go and stormed out of the room. Riven placed her hand on her breast and felt her heart beating wildly. She looked mournfully at the open door as she walked to her bag and began to unpack.

When Riven came back down the stairs Caitlyn and Vi were sitting comfortably on a sofa and the former beckoned Riven towards a chair that sat across a small round table in front of the sofa. A small ceramic teapot and a few tea cups sat on the table. Caitlyn was already gleefully sipping at her tea and Vi simply watched her and smiled. Riven sat and Caitlyn turned her attention to her.

"Ah yes," she took another sip of her tea "Riven, I summoned you here in order to discuss a few matters with you. Firstly," She paused as she thought of what to say "you are welcome to explore and use all areas of my estate. What is mine is yours, deary."

"Secondly, I'd recommend that you-" Vi began but Caitlyn cut her off.

"Secondly, you must come to me if I call to you, it could be an issue of dire importance. I would also like it if you knocked before you intend to enter any room with a closed door, just in case Vi and I..." she trailed off as Vi placed her hand on her thigh.

"And lastly, I would like to inform you that I am gathering all the notable individuals from the city and having a gathering here tonight to discuss the matters of which you and I have already spoken of. I insist that you join us." She smiled and took another sip.

"Of course." Riven replied. Caitlyn nodded her head and gestured her hand towards the teapot but Riven raised her hand in protest. "No thank you." she stood and Vi eyed her cautiously. "If you do not mind, I would like to go back to my room and rest, I am quite weary." Caitlyn stood.

"I understand, if you need me I will be..." she looked at Vi and grinned. "Somewhere."Riven nodded and headed up the stairs, looking back a moment to see the two women locking lips together. She averted her gaze and quickly went to her room. She knocked on the door and quickly went in, closing it quickly behind her. She put her back against the door out of fatigue, sighed loudly and closed her eyes. She felt a breeze tickle against her warm cheeks.

"You knock at your own door?" Riven heard a voice and scanned the room quickly. She saw a woman perched on her open window, long red hair flanking her breasts.

"It is a strange story. I shall tell you sometime." Riven said, relieved. Katarina jumped down from the window and put her hand on the wall.

"This is quite the home, little Caitlyn could be mistaken for a queen with such wealth." she removed her hand and turned to Riven. "I learned more about my father and that there is indeed a war brewing in the bowels of Noxus. I did not hear much about the latter but I do know that my father is in captivity and is being... experimented on or tested. It cannot be good if Doctor Marvin Mundo is involved." She looked solemnly out to Riven.

"Indeed not," Riven replied "I am sorry." Katarina smiled faintly, her scar gleaming in the sunlight.

"I overheard that he was doing well though, which I hope is a good thing." Her smile faded until Riven had walked next to her and grabbed her hand. "How are things going here?" She gripped her hand tightly around Riven's.

"Fine, we are organizing a meeting tonight to discuss it with the community." Katarina looked up at her and tilted her head to the side.

"With whom?" she asked.

"I do not know, just some rather powerful people from town." Katarina rubbed her palm against Riven's softly. Then she let go and walked over to the large queen sized bed and threw herself upon it.

"This is quite a bed they have gifted to you, may I rest upon it?" she asked as she smothered her face into the plush feather pillow. Riven walked over to the bed side and stroked her leg softly.

"Only if you let me rest with you." Katarina turned to her and stared into her eyes a moment and slowly leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Riven's waist and pulled her quickly into the bed. She laughed and Riven smiled. The mouths of the two slowly crept closer together until their tongues touched and Riven pressed forward firmly and drove Katarina's head deep into the pillows as she unleashed her passion. Suddenly she could not feel Katarina any more and the door opened. Caitlyn came in with her corset uneven and hair messy.

"I heard some noises, I was worried you had fallen down." She said as she looked at Riven who was still staring at the bed with confusion. "Are you alright?" she asked. Riven came back to her senses.

"Yes I am fine, I just hit my head on the bed frame when I threw myself upon the bed." She feigned injury and placed her hand on her forehead. Caitlyn quickly scurried to her and placed her hand upon her head.

"Oh deary, I am sorry." she kissed her forehead like a mother does to a child. "Do you need a bandage or cold towel?"

"No I am fine, just a little dazzled is all." She smiled and Caitlyn walked backwards to the door. Riven caught glimpse of Vi, who eyed her suspiciously. Caitlyn quickly walked out and closed the door and Riven heard her giggle as she went down the hallway. She turned back around and saw that Katarina was back in the bed, her jacket open and her ample breasts heaved behind the black leather corset that covered them. Riven brought herself back on top of her and pressed their lips together again, this time bringing her hand up to Katarina's breast, who in returned firmly grabbed upon Riven's rear. Gradually, Riven's eyes slimmed and slimmed until she fell asleep atop her lover, who was in the middle of removing the straps that held her corset in place. She sighed and simply stroked her face with her hand and closed her eyes as well.

"One day, when you are ready, I will make a true woman out of you."

When Riven awoke Katarina was still asleep underneath her. She glanced towards the window and saw that the sun was setting and dusk was illuminating the sky with hues of pinks and purples. She turned back to Katarina and kissed her softly upon the lips. She stood and straightened out her clothes and hair in the mirror before heading out of the room and down the stairs. The hall was empty, but she heard the sounds of activity. She cautiously went down the stairs and looked around. She saw Vi standing in a doorway. The tall woman simply stepped aside and scoffed as Riven approached and followed right behind her into the parlor.

Inside Riven found a room similar to that of a tavern, a bar stood on one side of the room with a few tables scattered across the main floor of the room. Caitlyn stood at the bar, her purple dress and hat standing out in the room. Riven looked across and saw seven other people, not including Vi. The closest was a mere boy, he had long blond hair and wore a brown leather jacket. He was holding an amulet in his hand and brandishing it to a short creature called a yordle, the yordle was small and wore a lab coat and had a massive head covered in a ball of yellow hair. Two more yordles stood behind him. One wore an old leather jacket with a fur trim around the collar and hand a long white mustache and a balding scalp. The other was simply covered in brown fir and wore a dark red jump suit with a white skull painted on the back. Sitting at the table was a tall good looking man with short brown hair and a shirt that had mechanical parts around the shoulders and underneath his collar. The collar itself was lined with fur and stood up high above his neck. Far back in the corner a strange woman made of metal stood alone, a strange ball floated next to her and seemed to have a life of its own. Caitlyn smiled widely as she saw Riven and Vi enter the room.

"Every-o-one take a seat!" Riven could sense that she did not handle liquor very well. Everyone did take a seat, three tables had been pushed together and the occupants sat. The three yordles sat together and Caitlyn and Vi took their seats at the heads of the table. The blond young man sat next to the yordle with the large brain and the mechanical woman and her ball both took a seat. The tall good looking man sat next to the ball, leaving one seat for Riven, directly to Caitlyn's right. Riven meekly took the seat and Caitlyn turned to her.

"You look so pretty..." she whispered and Riven scoffed. The man sitting next to her chuckled to himself. Vi slammed her hand on the table.

"Alright everyone, it is time to get down to business." she stood up. "My name is Victoria Vilory." she gestured to the yordle to her right. He giggled maddeningly.

"My name is Ziggs Longshanks, the Dean of Demolition.." said the yordle in the red jumpsuit.

"My name is Corkstock Paddlefolk, Corki for short. I am the chief mechanic at the Piltover Customs and a grizzled old war veteran." said the yordle with the great white mustache.

"Yes, Yes. My name is Hans Heimerdinger. Indeed the founder of the Yordle Academy." said the yordle in the lab coat.

"My name is Ezreal Randal, I am a humble explorer and finder of a great many of treasures." the boy with the blond hair did not stand, he simply nodded his head as he spoke. Caitlyn stood up and held onto the table for support.

"You all know me," she raised a pint high into the air and Vi buried her face in her hands. "I am Caitlyn Middleton. The sheriff of this fine city." she sat back down. Riven looked upon Caitlyn and the man next to her nudged her with his arm and she stood.

"My name is Bianca Rive, or Riven I prefer." she thought of some title she could add but after a few seconds sat back down. The man next to her stood, he was quite tall.

"My name is Jayce Burton. I am the Sentinel of Piltover." he sat back down and smiled at Riven. She did not acknowledge it. The mechanical woman whizzed and clicked as she stood.

"I am Orianna Reveck. I am a clockwork creation of Corin Reveck." She sat back down. Vi rose again.

"We are here to address the most recent report out of Noxus. It is of confidential nature so if any of you can't hold a secret I'd ask you to leave now." she paused for a moment but nobody moved. "We have discovered that a war is brewing in before mentioned city-state." She gestured her hand towards Riven and she nodded in return. "And Caitlyn and I have assembled you here to asses the risk such a war would pose on our great city, and the rest of Valoran." Riven leaned close to Caitlyn.

"She speaks quite well, when she wants to." She whispered. Caitlyn grinned.

"How do you think she got under my bedsheets?" She giggled.

"I would ask of you all to give your personal unbiased opinions about this," she shot an eye at Ziggs who has giggling aloud. "That includes you." He stopped laughing. "And once we have all taken our stands on the issue we shall move on to the next step: preparations and precautions." Ziggs suddenly slammed a small sphere, with a wicker fuse sticking out of the top, onto the table. A few of the men gasped but Riven, Orianna and the other yordles remained calm.

"I-I-I love to blow things up! But when-he-he-hen I am blowing up another's property I am always hesitant. If the Noxian's make a move I shall bring down a rainstorm of bombs, but until then I make no offense, but I will build defenses." He withdrew the bomb off of the table and tossed it into the air.

"As my comrade here said, I too shall not make a move of offense unless first provoked." Corki spoke, his voice was high pitched like all yordles. Heimerdinger nodded in approval.

"Noxians?" said Ezreal "I hate those guys. I am for the conflict. If we do not completely defeat them they will just start another war." Caitlyn stumbled to her feet.

"I will hunt down any threat to my city," she drew a rifle from underneath the table and placed it upon the table. It was a long wooden and metal construct with three lenses on top of the chamber. "and take it down." Riven stood slowly.

"As the young man had said before me," she nodded to Ezreal who chuckled softly. "Noxus cannot change unless it is completely defeated and reformed.-" Heimerdinger jumped to his feet, barely any higher standing than when he was sitting in the chair.

"And whom do you expect to take up the mantle of a shattered city? If the Demacian's had their way they would level the whole city-state to the ground." he stroked his small yellow mustache with his tiny hand.

"This responsibility I have taken up on my own, a broken woman to mend a broken city." She declared. Jayce stood up as well.

"How do we not know you are just some crooked woman trying to take all the power for herself?" he retorted, looking deeply into her eyes.

"You do not know, and you may never know if we do not defeat them." she replied sternly and sat back down. Heimerdinger also sat. Jayce remained standing, looking at Riven.

"I will do whatever it takes to defend my home, even if means killing some Noxian and starting a war." he spat and sat back down. Glances were shared between the people at the table until Orianna stood.

"The Noxian speaks true." she stated and Jayce turned to her in fury.

"How do you know? You are no mind reader, Reveck." he retorted. Orianna did not move or look towards it, but her ball raised itself into the air and suddenly blades protruded out of it at dozens of angles.

"You also speak true, I am no mind reader, but my friend is. And he gets easily offended." Jayce sat down grumbling as she spoke. "Killing is sometimes necessary to continue living the way you would like, I will support any action made by the city." she sat back down and after a moment Vi rose once more.

"So that settles it. If the time comes we will not hesitate to fight if our great city comes under danger. Now," she said as she pulled a slip of paper from her pocket. "we now need to asses whether or not our neighboring city-states will come to our aid. Ionia, Freljord, Bilgewater and Bandle City are all potential candidates, Zaun and Noxus are not included for obvious reasons and Caitlyn and I have decided to keep away from the Demacian's for if they caught wind of such claims they would try to make another appeal to the Noxian's." a few heads nodded in agreement. "The rest will stay here and help set up a defense." She looked at Corki. "Bandle City is the furthest city state from here, you and your copter can get there swiftly." She turned to Ziggs and Heimerdinger. "You two will stay here to begin construction for defenses, as will Caitlyn, Orianna and myself." She turned to Ezreal who cut her off.

"Freljord? Easy." he said with pride. Vi nodded and looked towards Riven.

"You are the only one here who has even been to Ionia, so it would seem fit that you go there." Riven nodded slowly and Jayce stood up once more.

"I shall go to Bilgewater then." He flexed his arms. "Who am I to speak to?" Vi looked down to the paper and cleared her throat.

"Jayce you should ask for Sarah Fortune. She, from what I am aware of, is a beautiful young ginger that keeps the city organized. Riven you should seek a woman by the name of Irelia Lito, she is the Captain of the Guard of Ionia." Riven felt a nostalgic pain when she heard the name, a name she had known once but could not recall. "Ezreal, you must see the three queens of Freljord, Ashe, Sejuani and Lissandra of the Avarosan, Winter's Claw and Frostguard tribes respectively." he nodded. "And Corki you shall meet up with your friend Dennison Jadefellow, the mayor." She paused for a moment but no questions were asked. "It would be lovely if we could adjourn this meeting and get to our work."

All stood except for Caitlyn who stumbled onto the floor, Riven quickly helped her to her feet.

"You are too young to be drinking, Caitlyn." she said sternly, Caitlyn laughed aloud.

"I'll have you know-" she stumbled again "that we of Piltover are excellent at holding down the spirits." Riven smiled and half walked half carried her to Vi who gladly took her in her arms. She walked out of the room wordlessly. Riven followed close behind, turning to look back into the room and caught a glare from Jayce who quickly turned to Ezreal and began a conversation. At the top of the stairs Riven went left and Vi went right. Katarina was gone, but she had packed all of Riven's gear in her bag before she left. She quickly jotted down a note on a piece of parchment and stuck it to the window, it read: Ionia.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The Ferry

To get to Ionia Riven had to take a boat across the Guardian's Sea. Riven had dedicated an afternoon to exploring the city of Piltover a few days prior and had noted down the location of the docks. She had the pleasure of being accompanied by Jayce, who also had to take a ferry to Bilgewater. The two were to take separate ferries but they both none the less had to get to the docks. Jayce was rather bitter about being paired with Riven whom he still did not trust even after Orianna's stark defense of her motives. Riven did not put much thought to Jayce for her head was throbbing, she was thinking of the name Irelia. She felt like she had heard the name before but no matter how hard she tried to remember all that was brought up was disappointment and pain. Jayce had noted that Riven was frequently bringing her hand to her head but was not concerned nor caring towards it.

The docks were quite small for such a large city, only three ports lied in the water and two of them were dedicated to transportation to Bilgewater and Ionia, the other was a trade route. Most of Valoran came to Piltover if they wanted passage to the islands in the Guardian's Sea. When the two reached the docks Jayce began to walk away but Riven checked him.

"Hey," she called out. He turned with a face somewhere between a scowl and a sly grin. "good luck Jayce." He chuckled softly and walked away, raising his hand into the air and waving it. Riven smiled and pulled her bag up higher on her shoulders and looked at the ferry destined to Ionia. It was rather bland, a simple boat that was relatively undecorated on the interior. Riven walked up the boarding plank, holding her ticket in front of her as she approached a man in a blue uniform standing just beyond the entrance to the boat. He looked at the ticket and punched it in.

"Room number seven." he said almost mechanically as he handed her the key. Riven was about to step forward but he put his arm in front of her. "Bag, please." He did not wait for Riven to hand him the bag, he instead snatched it off of her shoulders and peered into it. He saw a white and brown garb, an old green gauntlet and pauldron, a wide sword that was broken a foot or two from the hilt and a few shards of the same sword. He scoffed as he handed the bag back to her and she proceeded to her room.

The room was even more bland than the ship, it had a simple wood flooring and a bed with a green blanket and no sheet. There was a small circular window that peered out towards to the starboard side of the ship. There was also a closet in which Riven quickly placed her bag. She threw herself on the bed and stared out of the window for a few minutes until she felt the ship begin to vibrate and eventually it jerked forward towards the east and she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Slowly the sounds of the carnage of the hextech onslaught faded into the distance until not even the most violent of screams could no longer be heard. Riven kept walking until her knees finally gave out and she collapsed upon the earth and wept like a child. "My men!" she wailed as she pounded her shaking fists into the turf. "They will pay with blood!" her voice grew deep and malevolent. She reached for her blade but she checked herself. She wondered what the Ionian woman would have said upon seeing this. She longed to hear her soft and soothing voice. Riven slowly brought her shaking body to a stand and looked down at her sword, laying flat on its side in the dirt. It was a gift from the high command, a gift to the poster child of all of Noxus. The adamantine that forged it was so pure that it was said to be indestructible. Suddenly Riven felt a surge of energy pass through her body. It was not anger nor contempt, but a strong force of flaring valor coursing through her veins. She screamed aloud and brought her fist down upon the blade of her sword. When the unstoppable force of her honor clashed against the immovable object that was Noxus a massive burst of energy surged forth from the collision and the trees swayed away from it and the grass nearby was unrooted and sent flying away, carried by a sudden gust of wind coming forth from the massive energy.

Suddenly the blade cracked and Riven roared. The cracks spread and began to glow with a deep green aura and finally gave in. She was launched back and slammed hard against a tree. Her head slammed hard against the truck and she would have fainted if not for the strong energy that still radiated inside of her. She quickly rose to her feet, feeling no pain and walked forward to the blade. A glowing orb of green energy surrounded her and she felt her hair raising into the air. She looked down at the blade with a frown. It was broken into pieces and smoking from the newly introduced cracks. The runic inscription was still glowing brightly.

"My blade is, as am I, broken. Today I shall break forth from Noxus and strive to find the means to recreate it as it should, A shining beacon of honor and valor like it once was." She spoke from her heart. "I shall break from all ties of the treacherous Noxus that is now. My name-" she glanced back down at her sundered sword. "My name, like my blade, shall be Riven. I shall always be known as Riven until my goal is complete. She knelt down and gathered the pieces of her blade. She placed them one by one into her bag except the hilt piece, which she placed into her scabbard. She looked at her blood stained clothes and armor and shed them from her body and continued onwards nude except for a belt and scabbard around her waist, a bag in her hand and a face full of grim determination.

Riven awoke and slowly raised herself from her bed. She felt a chill run down her body as the cool night air caressed against her modestly sized breasts. She drew the blanket close over herself and walked to the window. She was still wearing her shirt and it was odd that it was so cold in the spring. She looked out the window and as far as the eye could see there was no land. The moon reflected off of the choppy sea surface and broke apart as clouds passed by. The lights of the ferry were dimly lighting the waters nearby, she could see a small school of fish swimming parallel to the ship, trying to stay in the light. Suddenly the ship rocked violently and a massive sound burst forth from the port side of the ship, almost half a second later a siren started to ring out and Riven carefully stumbled her way to the door, falling flat on the floor when the ship shook violently once more. When she stood she could not feel the ship engines vibrating and raced out of the room.

She raced down the hallway and found, once she made a turn, that the wall had been burst open from the outside. In the distance she saw the faint glow of another ship wavering in the darkness. She recognized the build of the ship instantly for she had rode on a similar boat when she had come to Ionia with the Noxian army. It was a pirate ship. She quickened her pace and made way to the deck. By the time she had arrived the pirate ship was close enough to able to make out the figures on the deck holding up pistols and cutlasses. They were haggard and dirty, all men with brown and black hair. Most had beards and a few had an eye patch. Atop the poop deck stood a man in a red jacket with a short beard and a wickedly shaped cutlass in his belt along side a pistol. He was eating an orange. Riven put her hand to her waist but did not feel her sword, she ran towards the stairwell but was immediately tackled down by a passenger on the ship just before another blast from the ship slammed home into the stairway, collapsing it.

Riven turned upon the person who tackled her and brought up her fist but she checked herself when she saw that it was Katarina. Katarina stood up quickly and helped Riven to her feet. Her face was full of concern. "Bianca, you are in great danger." Riven felt something slide into each of hands. One was a small pistol and the other was a long-bladed knife. "Take these. We are going to have to fight. I think these men were hired to take us down, there must have been an informant or spy at your little meeting." Riven looked at her.

"Did you see anything suspicious when you left my room?" she asked. Katarina looked at her quizzically.

"Your room? I never went into your room, I saw the sign you left for me and raced over here." Now Riven was the one with the quizzical gaze.

"But we... we kissed... I almost..." Riven mumbled. Katarina looked into her eyes and suddenly swore.

"Damn it, that damned witch. You were deceived my dear. That woman you were with was not me, it was a woman known as Evaine Le Blanc. She is a cunning little bitch and a shape shifter." Katarina slammed her fist against the deck. "That filthy whore in your mouth I..." she paused for a moment. "There is no way you could have known." Riven stared at her aghast and angry at herself for being played like a fool.

"I am sorry Katarina. I did not-" she was interupted when Katarina swiftly kissed her. A few of the bystanders eyed them.

"It's fine." she said as she broke off. She turned quickly to the port side and saw that the ship was quite close now and man were ready to throw grapples and swing down onto the ferry. A pistol shot rang out from the ship but it did not hit its mark. Riven heard the sound of swords being unsheathed and looked behind her to see a half dozen armed guards in blue uniforms. They each had a pistol and a simple long sword. From the looks of it they were out numbered four to one. Riven flicked around the knife getting a feel for its weight.

The first pirate came swinging forth from the front mast and was immediately shot down by Riven, who placed the shot on his arm causing him to fall into the sea. While she loaded her pistol five pirates had swung over and began fighting with the guards that had rushed towards them. Riven had the gun kicked out of her by a pirate who had thrown himself onto the ship. It slid across the surface and stopped near the edge of the starboard side of the deck. Riven parried a blow from his scimitar before plunging her dagger into his chest. Two more pirates came and Riven punched one in the jaw while dodging a stroke from his cutlass. He reared back and the other man stuck a pistol into Riven's chest but she quickly brought up her knee and knocked the weapon free. She pushed him back and spun around, bringing a slash across his throat. She caught the gun as it fell and fired it into the chest of the man who was holding his hand against his bloodied nose.

More men had appeared on the deck of the pirate ship from underneath and Riven groaned as she saw that a few of them had surrounded her. She dashed forward but suddenly three men in front of her collapsed with small daggers lodged in their necks. Riven turned to see Katarina fending of a few men herself. Riven drew up the cutlass from the man who she had dispatched and wielded it along side Katarina's knife. Two pirates charged at her and the first was brought down with a stab through the eye patch. The other parried a blow from Riven and kicked her in the groin, she reared back aching but dashed forward, feigning past a sword stroke and bringing the cutlass through his heart. She left it there and kicked him away and into the chest of another pirate who stumbled over. Three men charged at her and she stepped back. She came back to back to Katarina who was in a similar situation. A group of seven pirates had surrounded the two, coming in slowly.

"Throw me." Katarina whispered. Riven turned quickly and grabbed Katarina by the hips and threw her up. Katarina brought her hands into her jacket and when she brought them back out a flurry of daggers came forth from her hands and five of the men dropped to the ground. One of the men tried to grab Riven but she stabbed into the arm that touched her and sent a spinning kick to his skull, connecting with a satisfying crack. The other man had caught Katarina as she dropped and struggled to hold her. She quickly turned to her attacker and slammed the head into his, he let go and reared back but Katarina jumped on him and pulled a knife from her belt and drove it into his heart. Riven looked around and saw that they were the only people standing on the deck, all the attackers and the guards had been slain or were injured. She gazed at the pile of bodies in front of the six guards and nodded her head, they had fought quite valiantly.

Riven quickly turned her gaze to the pirate ship, a whole set of fresh men were standing on the deck cheering. They had set up a few boarding planks and streamed across. They quickly surrounded the duo and they both dropped their weapons. A tall man with a bicorne hot with Jolly Roger stitched into the front was making his way through the crowd. He had a red coat that went down to his ankles and a white shirt had a low collar that exposed a patch of chest hair. He had a short brown beard and mustache and brown eyes. His nose was a little crooked.

"Ahoy there me buxom beauties." he said as he emerged from the crowd and rudely examined their figures. "Shamus," he spoke to a one eyed pirate standing next to him "take these lubbers to me quarters" he turned back to them and licked his lips. "unspoiled. Bring our finest rum too, not that bilge rat grog you drink." Shamus nodded his head and grabbed Riven roughly by the shoulder. Riven pushed him off but the pirate in red turned back to her and drew his cutlass. It was green with poison. "Aye, lass, calm your nerves or I shall force you into the depths." he winked at her and sheathed his wicked blade. The two were quickly pushed and fondled through the crowd until a door swung open and they were thrown in. Riven looked over to Katarina who's left breast had been exposed when her corset was pulled down. Both of their hands had been tightly bound while they were being brought here and Katarina tried to squirm free but could not. Katarina shed a silent tear as she looked down at the floor. Riven crawled her way over to Katarina and sat next to her. She quickly brought her head down to Katarina's breast who began to protest but then felt that Riven had bit onto her corset and slowly began to drag it back over her breast. After a few moments her ample breast was again covered and Riven sat back up and leaned against her companion.

"Thank you, Bianca, you are an angel." She said and nuzzled her head against Riven's shoulder. Riven turned her head to the side and kissed Katarina on the top of her head. She then turned back to observe the room. It was finely decorated with many treasures and weapons. Riven looked to her left and saw a massive chest with a golden frame and a massive lock. There was a desk near the back of the room in front of a wide window and it was covered in maps.

"Are you alright my love?" Riven asked and Katarina smiled at her concern.

"Just a little shaken up, I thought they were going to rape me. But it's okay now." She pressed her head against Riven's shoulder again. They felt the ground vibrate and the pirate with the red coat came in. He did not regard the two, instead he took off his coat and hung it on a golden coat rack. His arms were strong and hairy. He sat down at his desk and finally turned to the women.

"Unlike my cohorts outside, I am a man of some gentility" he spoke differently, not like a pirate but like a nobleman. "and could not bare to witness two fine women be torn to pieces by a group of mangy men." he threw his hat down on the desk. "I have been shipped here from my luxurious manor in Noxus to capture you, Bianca." his voice got higher pitched the more he spoke. Suddenly Katarina spat.

"Le Blanc you bitch, show yourself." she said with spite and the man laughed.

"I did not do it last night because I needed to find out information and I was really looking forward to getting under her clothes." the voice was completely feminine now and spoke debaucherously. Riven shuttered and Katarina spat again.

"You will never have her!" she roared and Evaine laughed.

"I could take her now if I wanted. Those bindings are made in the great fires of the forge of Noxus and are unbreakable." she giggled and Riven looked back and leaned so she could see them, a similar runic inscription was on the bindings as her blade. She closed her eyes and began to slowly channel her inner power. "But there is no fun in that, is there?" she giggled again.

"You are a slippery bitch, Evaine." Katarina retorted.

"Oh now, Katarina you should watch your tongue, we would not want your father getting punished for it would you?" the man quickly morphed into a beautiful woman with deep blue hair and a large yellow cape. She reached around and pulled out a small device that had a glass screen on it. It showed a man bound in chains in a giant glass chamber. There were puddles of green ooze on the floor. Katarina looked up at the monitor and cried out in anger but did not speak again. She looked over towards Riven and saw her ponytail undo itself and began to gently rise in the air. Suddenly her bindings snapped and she jumped forward, green bolts of energy jolting around her. Evaine was caught off guard and tackled hard into the wall and was stabbed clean through the chest by a hook attached to the wall. Evaine gasped as the hook pierced through her lung and she coughed up blood. She jerked violently and then was still.

Riven turned around and saw Katarina who was staring in horror at Evaine, who was now hanging from the wall. Suddenly the massive chest burst open and Evaine came forth from it. The two looked back and forth from the body on the wall to the new Evaine that emerged from the chest. She looked down at Katarina and smiled.

"You didn't think I would leave myself so vulnerable would you?" she snapped her fingers and two more clones of herself appeared behind the two women. One drew a knife and put it against Katarina's throat while the other grabbed Riven from behind and grasped her breasts. Riven began to jerk but Evaine raised her hand in protest. "Break free and she dies." She pointed her hand towards Katarina who was crying as watched Riven being molested.

"What do you want?" Riven retorted, her face red with anger and hair still floating in the air. Evaine sensually swayed her hips as she came close to her. Suddenly Riven felt a cold hand press against her womanhood and groaned.

"I want you. And you are going to let me have you, or I will kill her and have you anyways." Evaine's smile was gone. Riven looked into her eyes with rage but her knees began to shake as she felt a pressure building up in her lower body from Evaine's fondling. She fell onto her knees and lost control of her energy as her hair flopped back down lifelessly. Evaine licked her fingers and turned to Katarina who was staring at her with tears running down her eyes. "If you turn your eyes away from me while I take her, I will kill your father." Evaine threatened and Katarina looked at Riven with despair. Riven gazed back at her and nodded softly and mouthed the word, it will be okay, silently. Evaine did not see the words of reassurance and tore off the garments covering her breasts and slid down on her knees in front of Riven. Evaine nodded at her breasts and Riven slowly brought the head to them.

A black blur crashed through the port side of the room and whizzed across the room, colliding with the clone who was standing over Katarina. The blur swept her through the starboard side of the room, leaving a hole. Riven dashed forward and brought her fist into Evaine's breast. She yelled in pain and quickly disappeared in a cloud of white smoke. The clone behind Riven kicked her back but Riven sent a blast of green energy from her hand and shot her straight out of the window and into the sea. Riven stood and turned to Katarina who was breathing heavily. Suddenly the door swung open and Shamus entered, blood smeared across his face.

"Captain we are-" he looked around and saw that the red coated pirate was not here. He quickly drew his pistol aimed it at Riven and shot. Riven closed her eyes but did not feel anything. She looked down at her body and saw no holes or blood. She brought her gaze up to Shamus who's eyes had rolled into the back of his head and fell, a red stream of blood coming from his hair. A tall woman with two pistols walked in, she wore a corset that covered her breasts and a few inches of flesh underneath with leather chaps. She wore a large bicorne hat atop her gorgeous red hair. Her skin was tanned and blemish free. She turned towards Riven who was glowing green with energy.

"Calm down, I mean you no harm." she turned to Katarina and nodded. "I hear that you are ambassadors, it is a shame that Noxus has sunk so low as to attack keepers of the peace." She sounded a little sad. "A great trade partner Noxus has become to Bilgewater." She turned as she heard steps. Jayce walked in with a strange mechanical hammer in his hand.

"I tried to convince her to join our cause but she refused, but I hope now she realizes the direness of the situation." he spoke firmly. Sarah Fortune turned away from him and looked at the Evaine clone pinned to the wall.

"It is now in consideration." Sarah said as she looked at the bloodied image. She turned quickly to Katarina and unwrapped the bindings around her wrists. Katarina rubbed her wrists softly and walked over to Riven's side. Jayce eyed her as Riven wrapped her hand around Katarina's shoulder and reassuringly kissed her cheek.

"I hear that you two need a lift to Ionia." Sarah said, she began to step out of the captain's quarters and onto the deck, Riven and Katarina followed. She saw that all of the pirates on the deck had surrendered to her men, her men were like pirates themselves but wore blue and brown uniforms. An even larger ship sat on the port side of the ship they were on, it had three towering masts. "This is Les Chanceux. She will take you there quicker than any ferry in all of Runterra.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Spirit of the Past

Riven and Katarina watched nostalgically as the Les Chanceux sailed away from the port. The two greatly enjoyed the company of Sarah Fortune and her privateers. Even the up tight Jayce lightened up during the later hours of the journey. It took almost twenty four hours to make the rest of the trip to Ionia from the point where they were ambushed by Evaine and her pirates. The two turned around and gazed at the beautiful Ionian port. The architecture was different than anywhere else either of the two had been. Most of the buildings at the port were made of wood beams with plaster walls. Many of the buildings had high arches with ornate crests and carved beams. The port was part of a tiny town in the region known as Navori, the very same region that Riven had began her assault. The town had a long and unpronounceable name in the tongue of the mainland.

Riven grabbed Katarina's hand and began to walk through the town. A few of the older members of the town recognized her. They did not shrink away in fear, they just simply looked upon her. One or two of them smiled at her and she waved back. The memories of the place were rapidly coming back to her. "Are you hungry?" she asked and Katarina smiled at her and nodded. Riven guided her to a nearby tavern and the two ate a bowl of rice coated in the spices of Ionia as they watched the sun begin to set. Katarina snuggled up against Riven's breast to warm up and Riven smiled brightly as she looked down upon her. Her heart felt warm and she enjoyed it.

The two decided to take up a room for the night. Riven had noticed that Katarina was behaving much more meekly than before since the incident on Evaine's ship, and it showed even more so as she held her hand and led her up the stairs. She could not look Riven in the eye and she was always red in the face. Riven quietly shut the door behind her and walked over to the bed and sat. Katarina followed close behind her but sat cross-legged on the floor.

"Is everything okay, Katarina?" Riven asked, she was not worried, she was just curious. Katarina smiled faintly and looked up at her.

"Bianca, nobody has ever stood up for me like you did last night, not even my father. He would give his life for me, but what you were risking... you risked your honor for me, my father loved me but I would doubt that he would give up Noxus for me. Noxus is all he had and honor is all you have." A small tear ran down her eye and she felt Riven's hand under her chin. She pressed upwards slowly and kissed her gently.

"Honor is all used to have, you are all I have now." her heart fluttered as she spoke and Katarina's eyes grew even more watery. She felt Riven's hand run down her scar and it tickled her inside her bosom. Katarina pressed forward and kissed her again softly, savoring the warmness of Riven's lips.

"Bianca... I..." she whispered. She was breathing very heavily and Riven slid off the bed and sat next to her.

"What is it Katarina?" Riven asked, her heart hammering like a drum. Katarina sighed and turned to her.

"Bianca..." she paused as Riven grabbed her hand gently. "I..."

"Say it." Riven said softly. Katarina's chest heaved back and forth gently as she breathed. She leaned forward towards Riven.

"I love you." the words exited her mouth like a breeze from a window. The words were carried gently towards the ears of Riven who felt the gentle caress of the wind rub against her face. She closed her eyes for a moment out of pleasure, making the most out of the moment as she could. When she opened her eyes she looked at Katarina who had leaned back and was looking down at her crossed legs. Riven took Katarina's hand in hers.

"I love you too, Katarina." Katarina gasped and looked up at her. Her big eyes welling up with tears. She leaped at Riven and wrapped her arms around her shoulders and hugged her tight. Riven felt tears gently falling onto her neck.

"Oh god Bianca," she wept "I love you so much." She kissed her neck repeatedly. "I had known it the second you pulled my corset back in place. It may seem small to you but it was a great deal to me. Ever since that moment I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you." Riven stroked her back gently.

"You are the only person to ever inspire such a passion in me before." She raised Katarina up off of her and looked her into the eyes. "And I hope you will always be my only one." She slowly pulled down on her own shirt, the collar widening as it went down her shoulders until both of her modest breasts slid out. Katarina gazed at them for a few moments and leaned in close. She gently kissed one on the side and slowly slid the shirt back up and slowly traced her finger along them through the shirt.

"Not tonight. I want to enjoy you tonight, our bodies can wait."

The two shared a wonderful night together. Riven had sat with Katarina's head in her lap and discussed their happiest memories for hours. The pleasure she felt from just speaking to her was more than she had anticipated from what she had originally planned on doing. When Riven woke Katarina was gently snoring on her neck and Riven smiled warmly at her as she moved her to get up. She walked out of the room and fetched a plate of sausages and eggs for the two of them. She noted seeing a strange man in the corner of the room, most of the patrons sat as far away from him as possible. His face was impossible to see under the brim of his black boater. He was cloaked in a massive black coat and was shuffling a deck of cards. Riven inconspicuously eyed him from her peripherals as she walked back up the stairs.

When she opened the door she found Katarina stretching. She was bent over touching her toes and Riven almost jumped at the view. Katarina looked at her from between her legs. "Good morning sunshine." she said gleefully, no longer shy and conceited like the night before.

"Please stand up, you are killing me." Riven begged and Katarina chuckled as she rose up. She turned and spread her arms to embrace her and Riven quickly sat the breakfast down on a table and ran up to hug her. "I got you breakfast." she whispered and Katarina smiled brightly.

"Thank you! Shall we eat now?" She walked up to her food and smelled it. "It smells good." she grabbed a sausage and put it to her mouth but Riven put her arm on her shoulder and she stopped.

"I want to eat downstairs, there is something you need to see." she said and Katarina sensed the grimness in her voice and simply nodded. Riven grabbed her plate and they both walked down into the tavern floor of the inn. They sat at the nearest occupied table and just as she expected the man with the cards looked up, his eyes gleaming under his hat. Riven forked up some eggs and chewed them quickly.

"What is it Bianca?" Katarina asked as she licked her fingers. Riven forked up some more eggs and suddenly burst out laughing, Katarina watched as her fork slowly pointed to the man in the corner. She did not look directly at him and instead started laughing herself. The two shared idle conversation until they finished breakfast. Katarina felt Riven tap upon her toes with her foot and they both stood and walked to the counter and placed their plates on it.

"Do you know who that is?" whispered Riven and Katarina nodded.

"I do not know his true name, but he is an assassin who goes by the name Twisted Fate." she replied "He has no allegiance with Noxus but he does dealings with them when they need something dirty done. I hear Swain called upon him to assassinate the crown prince of Demacia before he got captured." Riven pondered for a moment.

"Do you think he is here for us?" She asked. Katarina turned her head a little to catch a glimpse of him again. He was holding a playing card with a large yellow spade on its face.

"Most likely. He would not come all the way over from Bilgewater for no reason, he is not the spiritual type." Riven turned and stared directly at him. Twisted Fate did not look back, instead he looked at the card in his hand. Gradually the yellow spade faded away and turned into a blue diamond.

"We should go now." Riven said and Katarina nodded. "Wait here." Riven went back up the stairs in a slight haste and grabbed their belongings and came back down. Katarina was standing at the door and Twisted Fate was at the counter. Riven quickly shuffled past him but she felt a strange chill as she crossed him but continued out the door.

They were out of town in a matter of minutes. The two walked silently until the sight of human intervention upon the landscape was completely out of sight. The Ionian countryside was littered with large grassy hills and distant forests. The blue sky fading into a gray on the horizon.

"Do you think he followed us?" Riven asked as she turned back to Katarina. She nodded in the affirmative and pointed in front of them. Further down the path a man in a black duster and large brimmed hat was sitting on tree stump. He held a deck of cards in his hand. The two looked at each other and decided no matter where they go he would be there, so they went to confront him.

"Hello, ladies." Twisted Fate said as they approached. He smiled at Katarina. "Fancy seeing you here."

"What do you want, Twisted Fate?" Katarina asked spitefully. Twisted Fate chuckled for a moment and drew out a glowing yellow card from under his sleeve. He jerked his arm forward at blinding speed and sent the card flying quickly towards Katarina, she tried to dodge it but it was too fast and dug into her abdomen. She groaned and fell hard onto the dirt trail. Riven quickly turned to her and saw that only the corner of the card had actually penetrated her skin but she was completely immobilized.

"I reckon that a two versus one fight wouldn't be fair. You're the mark not her." He said as he looked down at his victim and then quickly stood and looked at Riven. "She'll live, if you cooperate." The deck of cards in his hand started glowing and slowly began to separate and float in the air around him. He sent a blue card directly at Riven's breast but it was completely deflected by a bolt of green energy. Riven turned to him and her eyes gleamed with fury. Her hair started rising into the air and suddenly the bag on her shoulder ripped itself open as her massive adamantine blade reassembled itself. Riven quickly grabbed it and charged towards her foe.

Twisted Fate nimbly dodged a down ward slash and kicked Riven in the stomach. She groaned and swung again with the same effect. He threw three cards at her and she quickly feigned past them, bringing a strike against his arm but he drew his arm back quick and sent a red card spinning at the ground. It exploded and sent Riven sliding back. The cards floating in the air around him suddenly flew towards Riven and swarmed around her, cutting her all across her body. She hunched down under the assault and after a moment she burst with a green light and all the cards around her caught aflame and glided to the ground. Twisted Fate chuckled.

"You've got some backbone lass." He said as he took out another deck of cards from underneath his coat pocket. "But I'm afraid it is time to say good night." He smiled and Riven glared at him, he did not make a move at all. Suddenly she felt something behind her and dropped down on her knees just in time to avoid a wickedly curved dagger spinning through the air. It landed harmlessly on the ground in front of Twisted Fate. Riven turned to see that another man in a flamboyant red and black jesters outfit with a demonic visage covering his face had suddenly appeared out of thin air. He held another dagger of similar nature in his hand and with a snap of his fingers the dagger on the ground floated back into his hand.

"Shaco," Riven spat and turned to Twisted Fate "I thought you said a two on one fight was unfair?" She taunted. They both laughed in response.

"I've never played a fair game in my life, lass." He said and Shaco laughed again. Riven stood up and held her sword in front of her with both hands. She turned it towards Shaco who again laughed. She dashed and he disappeared. She quickly turned to Twisted Fate and tried to ram her blade through his gut but he feigned to the side and brought his fist against her face. She felt Shaco appear behind her and whirled around, slashing her blade swiftly. Shaco jumped up and landed atop the broad side of the blade and blew a raspberry at her before leaping off of it with a back flip and throwing both of his daggers at her. The first missed but the second dug deep into her bicep. She swung madly around but Twisted Fate threw a glowing yellow card in response and barely missed her throat. She was about to swing again but she began to feel a strong pain in her arm and dropped down on her knee. Shaco was standing in front of her and knelt down, his black and red pantaloons nearly brushing against her face.

"I think your exile has taken its toll on your body." He kicked her in the arm causing her to fall flat on her face. She slowly looked up at him and tried to spit but it only bubbled at her mouth. "Oh Bianca, why so serious? You must have expected us to catch up to you some day." He kicked the dagger in her arm even deeper and she moaned with pain but rose herself back on her knees. She saw that Twisted Fate was hanging back.

"Sh-Sh-Shaco..." she murmured "Let me show you a magic trick." Shaco leaned back and laughed and drew himself closer.

"Oh tricks, how I love tricks!" He clapped and looked intently at Riven's face. Twisted Fate had his back turned now, collecting cards from the ground. Riven shuffled for a moment.

"I will make you..." suddenly she reached out and grabbed Shaco's arm, he tried to resist but he was not stronger than her. "Disappear!" She screamed as she tore the blade from her arm and brought it up into his throat. She felt the dagger go through bone and into his skull, she jerked it out quickly and pushed him back. He fell lifelessly to the floor and Twisted Fate whirled around and threw a barrage of cards at her but she rolled to the side and sprung to her feet. She hurled the blade at him but the blade was strangely proportioned and flew wildly and struck home into his foot, pinning it against the ground. He screamed aloud in agony and Riven picked her blade back up and walked over to him. She placed it against his throat and looked him in the eyes. He dropped his visage of pain and simply looked grimly back at her, he closed his eyes as she brought the blade back for a swing. He heard the air whistling from the sound of the swing but suddenly a dull thud rang out through the area and he opened his eyes to see that Riven had been disarmed. A young woman stood behind her with long blue hair and a suit of armor colored red and silver with Ionian markings all across it. She had a series of blades floating in the air beside her in the shape of an X.

Riven turned quickly around and brought her fist up but stopped short of her face. She stared straight into the young woman's eyes for a moment then gasped and took a step back. She felt her head ache and her legs began to give way to the pain in her arm and she fell onto the floor unconscious.


End file.
